FC St. Pauli secured a hard-fought point on the road at Arminia Bielefeld in the 2. Bundesliga. Under coach Marcel Rapp, the team fell behind twice and fought back each time to earn a 2-2 draw.
The match was covered live. Bielefeld took an early lead in the 13th minute. Winger Jannik Rochelt scored to make it 1-0. St. Pauli responded quickly. Just seven minutes later, in the 20th minute, Japanese forward Taichi Hara netted the equalizer.
How did the second half unfold?
The second half started with a setback for the visitors from Hamburg. Joel Grodowski put Arminia Bielefeld back in front shortly after the restart. St. Pauli continued to dominate possession but lacked a cutting edge for a long period. The decisive change came from a substitution by Marcel Rapp. Abdoulie Ceesay, who came on at half-time, scored the important 2-2 equalizer in the 65th minute. The assist for this important goal was provided by Arkadiusz Pyrka.
Going four games without a win at the start of the season is naturally disappointing for the club's ambitions. FC St. Pauli currently sits in 15th place in the standings with three points. The team has scored six goals but conceded seven, resulting in a negative goal difference of minus one. The gap to league leaders Hertha BSC is already nine points.
What other key moments defined the match?
The game was characterized by defensive lapses from both sides. Arminia Bielefeld even had a goal disallowed. A strike from Marvin Mehlem was ruled out due to a foul on David Nemeth. St. Pauli pushed for a winner in the closing stages, but after three minutes of added time, the referee blew the final whistle. Goalkeepers Ben Voll for St. Pauli and Jonas Kersken for Bielefeld otherwise had a quiet afternoon.
What does this result mean for the challenges ahead?
The point gained provides the team with at least some confidence for the upcoming tasks. The next challenge is already waiting next weekend. FC St. Pauli will then host VfL Wolfsburg at their home Millerntor-Stadion. The match takes place on September 12, 2026. Wolfsburg currently occupies fourth place in the table, making them a strong opponent. All upcoming fixtures can be found on our fixtures page.
For coach Marcel Rapp, there is plenty of work to do. The defense needs to become more solid to avoid the seven goals conceded in four games in the future. At the same time, the attack must convert their periods of possession into clearer chances. The upcoming training week will focus on these aspects. The full squad overview shows which players are available for the tasks ahead.
